Sheet-metal container.



H. A. KEINER.

SHEET METAL CONTAINER APPLICATlON FILED JUNE 26. 1915.

Patented Feb. 6, 1917.

HENRY ,AE-IKEINER, or new YORK, N. Y.

SHEET-METAL CONTAINER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 6, 191% Application filed June 26, 1915. Serial N 0. 36,471.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY A. KEINER, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of N ew York, borough of Queens, county of Queens, and State of New York, have invented Certain new and useful Improvements in Sheet-Metal Containers, of which the following is a-specification.

This invention relates to sheet-metal containers of the larger and heavier type,'such as are used for the packaging and transportation of liquids and granular or pulverized solids in bulk, and more particularly to improvements in the manner of securing the heads or ends to the body portion of the container. These containers are commonly referred to as metal barrels and, while these metal barrels are frequently made in bilge form, the present invention more particularly relates to metal barrels the body portion of which is substantially cylindrical.

It itwell known that these large metal containers, during transportation, are usually handled by a class of laborers who have been found to place a higher value upon their time and comfort than they do upon the care of the property of others being handled by them. For example, in removing containers of this character from trucks, freight cars and other conveyances, they are almost invariably permitted to drop from the floor of the conveyance to the platform or pavement, and in the very nature of things a certain point along one or the other of the chine ends of the barrel or container is most likely to receive the full forces of impact. Therefore, the simpler forms ofjoint between heads and body portion of sheetmetal containers of smaller sizes and other types will not sufiice, for considering the weight of the container of this invention, and its contents, it will be apparent that the joint between head and body portion must be strong indeed to withstand these impact forces, particularly if the container is designed to be subjected to a large number of recurrences thereof.

Furthermore, while the joints of containers of this class should beparticularly strong and durable, they should not be of such complicated or intricate nature as to add materially to the cost of manufacture of the container or to the time or ex ense of sealing of the same by the packager or shipper.

The principal object of this invention is the provision of a reinforced joint between the head and body portions of sheet-metal containers of the type to which I have referred which shall combine the qualities, first, of being comparatively simple in construction and therefore entailing relatively small cost of production; second, of being of such construction as to permit of comparatively'easy and ready application of the head to the body portion of the container; third, of being hermetic; and, fourth,

at least within limits which it is amply capable of successfully withstanding.

My invention will be more readily understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, inwhich- Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly broken away and partly in section, of a sheet-metal container embodying my invention, and

Figs. 2, 3, 4,5, 6 and 7 are enlarged fragmentary sectional views of one of the chine ends of the barrel or container, illustrating the various steps of the process of forming the reinforced joint of my invention.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, numeral 11 designates the body portion of a substantially cylindrical container of the class to which-I have referred. This body portion 11 is formed in the usual manner from a fiat sheet-metal blank and has the usual side seam therein. While it is in substantially cylindrical form throughout its entire length, there is slipped over the end thereof the reinforcing ring 12, this ring being forced far enough down upon the body. of the cylinder to provide ample clearance for subsequent fianging and seaming operations, as shown in Fig. 2.

This'ring 12 is preferably rolled from a solid steel bar, which is then formed into a ring and the abutting ends welded together by any suitable process. The size of the formed ring should be such as to make the same fit snugly around the cylinder 11-tight enough, in fact, to necessitate the employment of mechanical power to slide the same on said cylinder. The configuration of this ring will hereinafter be referred to more in detail, and for the present it will suffice to state that the exterior face thereof is in a general way circularcylindrical, the interior face being rightcylindrical and comprising a portion 13 which fits the cylinder 11, as descrlbed, and an ofi-set portion 14 which forms an annular pocket 15 to receive and snugly contain the seam or joint between head and body portion of the container, as hereinafter described.

As explained, this ring 12 is first forced down over the substantially cylindrical body portion 11 of the container, as shown in Fig. 2. The end edge of the cylinder 11 is then provided, in any common and well known manner, with a flange 16, as shown in Fig. 3. The head 17, which has been preferably formed with a cylindrical portion 18 which snugly fits within the end of the body portion 11 and with the flange 19, is then inserted. as shown in F ig. 4, and these superposed flanges are then formed, in the common and well-known manner, into what is known as a double seam, as illustrated in Fig. 5.

The ring 12 is then forced toward the end of the container, the annular pocket 15 receiving and snugly containing the bead or shoulder formed by said seam, as illustrated in Fig. 6. The preferably tapering upper portion 20 of the ring 12 is now rolled over the upper end of the double seam to cause said seam to be firmly and rigidly embraced by said ring, as shown in Fig. 7.

With reference to the configuration of the hoop or ring 12, it will be noted that I have provided a solid band of metal of substantial dimensions and having a decided convex outer surface. When this outer surface is substantially flat or right-cylindrical, as it is in the ordinary barrel hoop or band, it will be apparent that when the barrel is dropped so as to strike upon its chine end as it often is, on account of the fact that if handled bv one person it is usuallv held at the one end and the free end thereof drops when withdrawn from its support) impact will be against a substantially rectangular corner of the band and have a tendency to distort the srme by bending the band inwardly, the average resultant line of the impact forces being usually in a plane forming substantially an angle of 45 with the longitudinal center line of the barrel or container.

It is apparent that the shape of the projecting and reinforcing metal ring which I have devised permits only point contact with the surface upon which the barrel or container may be dropped, regardless of the angle of inclination of its fall upon each surface. In the case of barrels or other can tainers of the forms and types of con truction known heretofore, thi greatest harm in the Way of change of configuration of the chine end would result from impact of said end with a floor or other plane surface at an angle of approximately 45 thereto. With my improved type of construction, however, the angle at which the barrel or container might be drop ed, relative to the floor or other surface, would manifestly have practically no effect upon the extent to which the metal would be changed from its original form by the resulting impact, since the tendency to change of shape would be caused by point contact only, and would be opposed by a mass of metal lying in the same plane as the resultant of the impact forces. In fact, any material change of shape of the projecting and reinforcing band or ring would involve either compres sion of the metal at the point of contact, or indenture at said point accompanied by corresponding bulging or outward displacement immediately adjacentthereto. Either or both of these tendencies would be opposed by the greater mass of metal I provide in every possible line of contact be tween the chine end of the container and a plane or other supporting surface, and by the curvilinear configuration or the rein forcing band or ring over what is ordinarily a rectangular corner at the chine end of the container. I also desire to call attention to the fact that except in the very unlikely case of the floor or other supporting surface conforming exactly to the configuration of the reinforcing hand. there would be only one point of contact between the band and said surface, whereas in the forms of construction known heretofore it is very probable that there may be two or more points of contact, with a corresponding number of points of disfiguration of the band or ring at the chine end of the container.

Particular attention is directed to the facts, first, that in spite of the fact that the minimum interior diameter of my ring or band 12 is less than the exterior diameter of the double-seamed end of the container, these rings may be formed and welded prior to being positioned, instead of being provided in an open condition for welding after being positioned around the seam; second, that the ring is snugly seated upon the body portion of the container, yet embraces and protects a seam which forms an exteriorly projecting bead or shoulder; third, that the process of turning over, inwardly, the upper edge of the ring, to cause the same to embrace the upper portion of the seam, also tends to tighten such scam and protect the same in the manner hereinbefore described; and, fourth, that all of the various steps of the rocess by which this reinforcing hoop, band or ring is applied contribute to and cooperate in the production of a sealed container possessing the advantages hereinbefore set forth.

Many modifications of minor details of my improved sheet-metal container will doubtless readily suggest themselves to those skilled in the art to which it appertains, and I therefore do not desire to limit my invention to the specific construction hereinbefore described.

I desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1.. The combination, with a sheet-metal container comprising a body or side portion withhead or end portions joined thereto, of an annular hoop or bandforced on the body portion of said container and being curved inwardly to embrace the joint between body and head portions throughout the entire length thereof.

'2. The combination, with a sheet-metal container comprising a body or side portion with head or end portions joined thereto, of an annular hoop or band forced on the body portion of said container and being curved inwardly to embrace the joint between body and head portions throughout the entire length thereof, said hoop or band being of solid metal and having an exterior face of suliistantially convex configuration.

3. The combination, with a sheet-metal container comprising a body or side portion with head or end portions joined thereto, of

an annular hoop or band of substantially tapering cross-sectional configuration having its base forced on and snugly fitting the body portion of said container, the narrower edge portion of said band being bent over inwardly to firmly embrace the joint between body and head portions throughout the entire length thereof.

4. The combination, with a sheet-metal container comprising a body or side portion with head or end portions double-seamed thereto, said seam forming an exteriorly projecting rib or head, of an annular hoop or band forced on the body portion of said container below said seam and being curved to snugly embrace said seam throughout the ntire length tb 5. The combination, with a sheet-metal container comprising a body or side portion with head; or end portions double-seamed thereto, said seam forming an exteriorly projecting rib or head, of an annular hoop or band forced on the body portion of said container below said seam and being curved to snugly embrace said seam throughout the entire length thereof, said hoop or band being of solid metal and having an exterior face of substantially convex configu -ation.

6. The combination, with a. shect-metal container comprising a body or side portion with head or end portions seamed thereto, said seam forming an exteriorly projecting rib or'bead, of an annular hoop or band forced on the body portion of said container and below said seam and being curved to snugly embrace the seam throughout the entire length thereof, said hoop or band being of solid metal and having an exterior face of substantially convex configuration and an interior face which is provided with an annular shoulder abutting. against said seam.

7. A reinforcing and protecting hoop or band for the seam at the chine end of a sheet-metal container comprising a solid metal ring having a major portion forced on exterior of the body portion of the container and a minor portion embracing said seam and exteriorly protecting same.

8. A reinforcing and protecting hoop or band for the scam at the chine end of a sheet-metal container comprising a solid metal ring having a portion forced on the exterior of the body portion of said container and a portion embracing said seam, the-outer face of said hoop or band being of convex or substantially circulair-cylindrical configuration, as shown and described.

In testimony of the foregoing, I have hereunto set my hand in. the presence of two witnesses.

HENRY A. KEINER.

Witnesses Gowns L. Eonsrnm. l'lumrn T? 

